I am writing to express my strong support for the homeowners, organizations and the more than 1,700 property owners involved in the class-action lawsuit filed regarding the Cook County tax scavenger sale.

This issue is critical given the testimony presented earlier this year to the City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate, which highlighted the concerning fact that Black homeowners’ accumulated real estate wealth in Chicago is effectively at zero. This staggering news echoes throughout the South Side and contributes to massive population decline, which is partially driven by scandalous real estate dealings.

The current application of the Cook County tax sales mirrors historical injustices, such as the repealed 2007 bill (HB4050) that resembled a 1830s Black-focused law. The tax sales effectively deny Black residents prolonged homeownership and the ability to build home equity by selling Black homes to flip companies at a significant discount. This practice is fundamentally wrong and causes significant economic harm.

I urge the City Council to flip the script and focus on immediate tax protections. Specifically, I request that the City Council:

Halt the Cook County payment deadline and extend it to mid-February.
Introduce an ordinance calling for a special review of the Cook County tax sale program through a joint committee.

Let us use the anniversary of the 13th Amendment (December 1865) as a moment to bless and protect homeowners and end this cycle of economic harm.

It’s only right.

— John Paul Jones, president, Sustainable Englewood Initiatives, and coordinator, CREATE Greater Englewood Together

Protecting homeowners

Thank you for the excellent editorial about Cook County’s convoluted and unfair property tax sales system that takes the homes, and all the equity in the homes, from owners who do not pay their property taxes in a timely way (“The chaotic situation involving property taxes and Cook County tax sales,” Dec. 14). The editorial is correct that the system disproportionally impacts poor and minority homeowners and has the “historical stench of a racist method to strip equity from Black homeowners.”

I would add that the procedures also disproportionally impact homeowners, most of whom are elderly, who have cognitive disabilities such as Alzheimer’s disease. The patterns tend to be similar. The person has owned their home for decades, the home is completely or mostly paid off, and the home has substantial equity. Over the years, the homeowner has always paid their property taxes on time. Then Alzheimer’s or other dementia sets in, and the homeowner misses a property tax payment. As a result, the person loses their longtime home with substantial equity over a minuscule unpaid property tax bill that the homeowner was not even able to understand.

Our office serves as guardian for about 600 mostly older people with cognitive disabilities. Unfortunately, we see this situation with frequency.

As the editorial points out, a federal court recently ruled this system unconstitutional. It is now up to Cook County and the General Assembly to enact reforms consistent with the court’s ruling. We call on them to do so expeditiously and in a manner that protects the rights of poor and minority homeowners as well as those with cognitive disabilities.

— Charles P. Golbert, Cook County public guardian, Chicago

This senior is leaving

The editorial in Sunday’s paper regarding the stratospheric increase in many property tax bills omits a few important facts and information. Although the Tribune Editorial Board correctly points out the faults with the tax sale system and the procedures involved, it somewhat contradicts its point with these statements: “The real value to the Illinois counties, of course, is not the tax sale but the threat of the tax sale that gets people to pay up. However this is resolved, some kind of consequence for not paying will have to be in place.” The board is correct. This does seem like a policy right out of the 19th century. It is inequitable and onerous. So, who’s side is the board on?

I have owned and lived in my home for over 30 years, and the tax has never decreased during any downturn. A more sensible alternative (although less lucrative for the county) would be to tax the property by an amount commensurate with the owner’s ability to pay based on their income level.

My bill increased fourfold. I will most definitely have difficulty paying this as I am a senior on a fixed income. I will have to now sell my home and am considering moving out of the state altogether. This would be a win for the county because a new owner would be assessed at the increased value and be paying a higher tax. Maybe that is the county’s ultimate objective as I’m sure the county could care less about one little old senior citizen. So, I’m leaving.

The board would do Tribune readership a great service by pressing for change and holding the spend-crazy city, county and state leaders accountable for their decisions in all matters financial. Maybe the board can help bring Illinois property owners out of the financially burdensome 19th century and force government to spend within its financial means!

— Joseph Talbott, Chicago

ACA premium increases

With the U.S. Senate’s rejection of legislation to extend the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits, millions of Americans — including tens of thousands of Illinoisans — now face steep premium increases beginning Jan. 1.

For nearly 15 years, the ACA has helped address deep flaws in our fragmented health care system primarily by eliminating previous barriers to coverage for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans, ensuring nearly 93% of our population now has health insurance, exceeding the national average.

Much of this progress has been driven by enhanced premium tax credits enacted under the American Rescue Plan Act. These credits made coverage affordable for middle-income households that previously struggled to pay for insurance. In Illinois, marketplace enrollment jumped by more than 32,000 when the credits were introduced, and overall enrollment has grown nearly 40% since 2021. This year, Illinois reported record enrollment, with nearly 466,000 people covered.

The numbers are stark. Without tax credits, the average monthly premium in Illinois is $674. With them, nearly 90% of marketplace enrollees pay just $143. That difference is the line between having coverage and going without. The Congressional Budget Office estimates more than 2 million Americans will lose insurance in 2026 if the credits expire. In Illinois, marketplace enrollment could drop by 30%.

This is not to suggest that the ACA is flawless public policy, but we cannot allow these gains to evaporate. Affordable coverage is not just about health; it is about economic stability, public health and fairness. Without insurance, patients delay care, chronic conditions worsen and costs rise for everyone.

As president of the Illinois Life & Health Insurance Council, I know there is much work ahead to address the existing affordability challenges of our health care system. Even with the extension of the enhanced premium tax credits, 2026 premiums are on the rise. However, reducing access to health insurance will make it more difficult for our industry, policymakers and our partners in the health care system to bend that cost curve moving forward.

Extending the enhanced premium tax credits is essential to preserving coverage gains, protecting families from unaffordable costs and ensuring Illinois continues to lead in expanding access to care. The Senate’s vote was a setback, but it should not be the final word.

Preserving affordable coverage is not just good policy; it is a moral imperative.

— Laura Minzer, president, Illinois Life & Health Insurance Council, Springfield

Note to readers: We’d like to know your hopes for the new year. Please send us a letter, of no more than 400 words, to letters@chicagotribune.com by Sunday, Dec. 28. Include your full name and city/town.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/17/letters-121725-cook-county-tax-sales/